Maybe in the short term but if this is left unchecked it will distroy the league and I think the owners and vets understand this. How long will fans pay 20 dollars for a hot dog to support these salaries?

The new collective bargaining agreement will address the issue of escalating rookie salaries. This is probably the last draft class where you will see outrageous money paid to high draft picks. The NFL will probably adopt something similar to the NBA's slotted rookie pay scale. The NFL veterans will be willing to concede this point in negotiations with the owners.

However....you are not going to see the actual salary cap shrink much, if at all.

Don't fool yourself on the $20 dollar hot dog to 'support these salaries'. The owners claim they are not making much money, but they are all unwilling to open their books for everyone to see. They are making money hand over fist....the NFL has never been more popular despite a decline in attendance in some stadiums....people simply have more ways to watch their team these days.

The owners are in a battle with the players over the % of revenue that should go to the players, which determines the salary cap. Everyone outside of the high rookie draft picks deserve what they are making. The players will budge on that, but not much else.

The St. Louis Rams and rookie QB Sam Bradford's reps are expected to lay the groundwork for what will be the richest contract in NFL history, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The guaranteed money in the deal is expected to be between $45 million and $50 million, according to a league source.

Well, this is apparently gonna be a big issue in the current CBA negotiations.

Hopefully the two sides get creative in the bargaining and each side is willing to give a little to get a little. Hopefully neither side thinks they're gonna hit a home run by being inflexible. The expiring CBA was an example of both sides being flexible and working together to keep the league going without a stoppage, although neither side was totally happy with it.

We'll see what happens. The object to me is to keep going without a stoppage, both sides will eventually win in that event. But you never know how stubborn and irrational people can get over $$$$$$$$.

The new collective bargaining agreement will address the issue of escalating rookie salaries. This is probably the last draft class where you will see outrageous money paid to high draft picks. The NFL will probably adopt something similar to the NBA's slotted rookie pay scale. The NFL veterans will be willing to concede this point in negotiations with the owners.

Oh wow, another major college football program that has been recently successful is accused of cheating?
How surprising
How many arrests and bad press clippings does this make for the Goaters in the last few years?

ESPN's James Walker reports that the Browns have agreed to a four-year rookie deal with third-round pick Colt McCoy. McCoy received the "quarterback premium," so he'll be eligible for as much as $5 million over the contract's life. The No. 85 overall pick usually receives about $3.3 million.

Adam Schein of FOX reports and PFT has confirmed that the longtime Titans linebacker and New York native has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the New York Giants. Bulluck can make up $2.5 million this season.

The deal came together after Bulluck worked out for the Giants last week and "blew them away" because he looked so good only seven months removed from ACL surgery.

The Cardinals also made a late push to sign Bulluck after Gerald Hayes' recent surgery, but the lure of New York was too difficult for Bulluck to avoid. Bulluck was All State at Clarkstown High School in nearby New City

Bulluck played on the weak side in Tennessee; that's where Michael Boley lines up in New York. Clint Sintim plays on the strong side and middle linebacker is wide open.

The Giants may be looking for Bulluck to help fill a leadership void in New York, while slowly working into the mix as he recovers from surgery.

ESPN's James Walker reports that the Browns have agreed to a four-year rookie deal with third-round pick Colt McCoy. McCoy received the "quarterback premium," so he'll be eligible for as much as $5 million over the contract's life. The No. 85 overall pick usually receives about $3.3 million.

If you don't feel like he can contribute to a championship on a championship-aspiring team THIS YEAR, I just don't see how he is worth the risk

And as far as the rumored Bronco's interest....
I know that it is nice to think about him serving as a stopgap while our young WR talent heals and recovers, but I do not know if Orton or Quinn have the disposition to control him, and I shudder to think of a T.O. press conference where he is asked Tebow questions

I know we still have Rod around here to run shop, but dare I even mention him as a "role model" for Bey-Bey and Decker?

NFL rookies are often required to carry veterans' pads as a sort of training camp hazing ritual. But Cowboys rookie Dez Bryant wants no part of it.

Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com reports that Roy Williams gave his pads to Bryant today, and Bryant refused to carry them.

"I'm not doing it," Bryant said. "I feel like I was drafted to play football, not carry another player's pads."

Bryant says this isn't a case of a first-round pick thinking he's above an NFL tradition. Instead, it's about a player who says he won't tolerate being treated badly.

"If I was a free agent, it would still be the same thing," Bryant said. "I just feel like I'm here to play football. I'm here to try to help win a championship, not carry someone's pads. I'm saying that out of no disrespect to [anyone]."

But Williams says Bryant was wrong to refuse his request.

"Everybody has to go through it," Williams said. "I had to go through it. No matter if you're a No. 1 pick or the 7,000th pick, you've still got to do something when you're a rookie. I carried pads. I paid for dinners. I paid for lunches. I did everything I was supposed to do, because I didn't want to be that guy."

Although the Cowboys' decision to draft Bryant was widely viewed as a sign that the team is less than thrilled with Williams' performance, both Bryant and Williams have steadfastly insisted that there's no bad blood between them. That stance of unity between Bryant and Williams lasted through all of two days of training camp.

UPDATE: After seeing this item, Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman weighed in on Twitter about what Williams' next step should be.